The new normal “work from home” reality for millions of professionals has them re-thinking their home office.
Home Frosting introduces “Instant Office” a new service for busy professionals and executives who need a fully functioning office at home in their personalized style.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, many professionals had a quasi-office set up in their home. This office served as their 2nd place to work, because most of their time was spent at their company office location. Today post virus crisis, the home office has become a primary place of business as many employers are implementing voluntary or mandatory work-from-home policies moving forward.
If you missed our Daytime TV segment with pals Cyndi Edwards and Danny New, you can watch it here.
This new normal has many professionals like you giving new attention to the home office, because many are:
1) Working from home full-time for the first time, the home office may be replacing a company-based office altogether.
2) Needing to create an office environment where you are productive, furniture has ergonomic design for comfort and wellness, and where work functions like supply storage and team meetings can all exist in residential space your personal style.
To help you improve your home office, Home Frosting is launching the Instant Office package. The service quickly transforms any room into a work-friendly, peak performance environment without having to leave your home.
Here are some of the common challenges and solutions, we can help with:
Limited electrical outlets.
This can mean setting up more wireless systems.
Comfort and wellness.
Your employer may have provided an ergonomic designed chair and desk. Now that the office is at home for the longer-term the temporary chair and table may not be the best for your neck and back. The furniture and position of how one works makes a difference. Sometimes it’s about making adjustments, other times new office furniture may be in order.
Brand impression.
Participating in virtual meetings or being interviewed by the media can be less than ideal without a plan. Curating the background, installing a piece of art or dropping in a digital scene projects a professional image.
Lighting.
Ensuring the lighting is best for both virtual meetings, so the professional looks good and the lighting is the best choice for work visibility and reduces eye strain when staring at monitors for hours at time. Installing a portable photo light for online meetings, selecting the right bulbs, wearing protective glasses to reduce the blue light off of monitors and arranging furniture so you can take advantage of natural light are options.
Privacy and sound control.
Especially if your spouse also works from home or the kids are home schooling, sound control is imperative. Soundproofing the room can be accomplished with soundproof paint and acoustic treatment panels. Adding doors or use screens to create more privacy can work well too.
Home office is a smaller space and comes with a clothing closet.
Having a productive workspace is critical and this can mean space planning to maximize a small room and adding shelving to a closet for a supply room.
Ideation and meeting exhibits.
Functioning without traditional office tools can make planning and team meetings challenging. Today there are many effective solutions like installing temporary wallpaper that serve as a white or black writing board or installing actual work boards that can be covered with blinds or draperies.
New office mates.
While some offices allowed pets to come to work, many professionals are now experiencing their pets showing up for every meeting. This situation often requires creating a pet parking spot in your workspace so everyone is comfortable.
Boring office no more.
With the surge of professionals working at home and more attention on this workspace, the office furnishing industry is booming and introducing many new products from standing desks to office accessories to serve this growing market.
Home Frosting will learn about your work needs, plans the space, can handling managing any improvements like paint, wallpaper, lighting, rugs, art, accessories and even coordinate your IT needs.
For a flat fee of $1,000, you receive 2 sessions with home interior expert and office planner and stylist Karen Post. Any purchase of furnishing or décor product, handywork or technology services are billed additionally as requested.
First session
Karen and one of her team members visit the home office. Through a series of questions, they learn about the professional’s position, their responsibilities and workflow. Next, they get clear on what the professional’s ideal peak work zone looks and feels like. For example, some people are extremely organized and want everything in its place. Others need to have piles of things to touch and see.
From here the team assesses the space, the furnishings’ function, and the technology and tools they need to do their job at a high level. We look at all of the furnishing elements and start deciding what can be re positioned, repurposed, spiffed up or eliminated. At this first session we also make suggestions and discuss improvements like lighting fixtures and bulbs, paint, wall coverings, rugs etc.
2nd session
After any handyman or craftsman improvements are made, we return with Maxwell, our Mercedes Sprinter design mobile. Eliminating the hassle of shopping, ordering and assembling items, the vehicle is full of art, accessories, rugs and accent pieces etc. to complete the office space. If you need new office furniture we will help you find it or work with what you have. You can provide a purchase budget and we back into that or show you possibilities and go from there. We install what you love so that your new office is ready to contribute to your success.
Let’s get to work!
